Selfie Obsessed? Facebook Reflection

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Selfie Obsessed? Facebook Reflection

Submitted by mjreale on Sun, 08/03/2014 - 19:03

By Ruth Barnard

Gazing into the screen we become hypnotised by the Facebook life we create for ourselves. This isn’t a new behaviour; in Greek mythology there was a young male named Narcissus, he was very beautiful and fell in love with his own reflection. This tragic Greek myth paints a picture of deep self obsession and shows how life can pass you by as you stare at nothing but an image of yourself.

Facebook offers the opportunity to present ourselves in whatever way we desire. This can be awesome as we share things we’ve done with friends and family and take pictures of holidays and events. However, we can end up searching for acceptance by creating an idealised version of ourselves. We are bombarded with idealised images of women and men every day, this can cloud the picture of what we really want to be and make us aim for something we are not. It’s not surprising that we can become obsessed with our “likes”, amount of FB friends and strategic selfies.

Of course we all want to look good for the camera, but does that selfie really reflect you? Or is it designed to sexualise your image making you into something you may not really want to be? Whoever you are if you are happy with yourself, just be that person so that you don’t waste your life falling in love with something unreal.

We know we shouldn’t use Facebook as a mask for who we truly are, but sometimes it can be hard. So how do we take of the mask and show our true selves? Well, Facebook has become part of our everyday lives, it’s a place we go to catch up with friends and share awesome things. So it’s important to keep your Facebook healthy everyday just like you would keep your real face healthy.

Here are some fun tips we should use every day, to wash away the bad and keep Facebook fresh:

Don’t Facebook when you’re tired, grumpy or annoyed. This can lead to whiney statuses that bring everyone down and could upset relationships.

Exercise restraint. It’s hard not to share every single thing about yourself with the world, but think before you upload that selfie. You deserve to keep some things to yourself.

Just like you need to in real life, only surround yourself with positive friends and family. Don’t get caught up on the virtual friends that bring you down (they probably need a fresher Facebook too.)

Reality check. When you post , like or share something take time to think if that is something you truly care about. Make sure you’re not doing it just to be seen as something you’re not.

Don’t compare yourself to other people’s profiles.

Go outside, get some fresh air. Real people want to see your smiling face as well.

Before you know it you will be feeling as fresh and beautiful as Aphrodite. Don’t become another tragic Narcissus. Being your unique self is the most exciting and fun thing you can do. I’m not saying it’s easy, we all get tempted to use social media as an escape from reality. But remember ideals, fashions and crazes fade, if you are just true to yourself you will stay shining bright and happy.